Players deal with increase in intensity

Even though the Bucs have made the playoffs four consecutive seasons (and five of the past six), staying grounded in the midst of playoff intensity is a big challenge.

"It's just a different deal," veteran quarterback Brad Johnson said. "I hate to say it but it just is. You can feel it. The environment is different. Preparation is the same, practice is the same. I prepare no different. But the buildup is more."

"The games are faster because people panic. Everyone panics because it's at the end of the season. It can be over that fast. Every play is that much more critical."

Left tackle Lomas Brown, an 18-year veteran who played in a Super Bowl with the Giants, said he expects a veteran team like the Bucs to handle the meteoric rise in pressure during the playoffs.

"It goes from every game being important to every play being important," Brown said. "To me, you can't take a play off because it could be the play that swings the game around. Every little thing that you do wrong becomes magnified.

"You have to break it down to a three-game season. There also is the reality of being out. One game is all it takes. A bad quarter can do it for you. The Giants proved that."

Tight end Ken Dilger, who has nine receptions and one touchdown in six playoff games, said the key is to treat the start of the postseason the way you treat the start of the regular season.

"It's like going from preseason to regular season. Everyone's just trying stuff out and trying not to get hurt," Dilger said. "Then you get to the regular season (and) the tempo picks up a little bit because you know everything counts. Now it's do or die. Every play you find guys going extra hard for 60 minutes. We understand the situation. Sitting in the meetings this morning, you could feel the energy, the different kind of atmosphere."

Second-year cornerback Dwight Smith said one approach to playoff intensity is to ignore the hype.

"It's no different to me," Smith said. "I'm playing football as hard as I can, every time I can. It doesn't matter if it's playoffs, regular season or preseason. I don't know if it's different when you get older. But any time I get to put on this (uniform) it's great for me."

SPEAKING OF DILGER: After seven seasons with the Colts, Dilger was signed by the Bucs to immediately upgrade the tight end position. He has shared playing time and receptions with free agent Rickey Dudley, who signed Sept. 17. Dilger finished the season with 34 receptions and two touchdowns.

"For a first-year offense, we've grown a lot the last five, six, seven games and I think once we got out of the first half of the season, we kind of showed what we're all about," Dilger said. "I always want to catch more balls, but we have a lot of weapons here and Brad likes to spread the ball out.

"I don't concern myself whether I had a good year or a bad year or how many catches I had, as long as I help the offense win and catch all the balls thrown to me. I've only dropped one ball this year."

FLAG DAY: Security measures aside, the Bucs plan to fire up their fans Sunday by providing about 67,000 red and white team flags.

In conjunction with sponsors, the Bucs will place a red or a white flag (each 2-by-3 feet) in the cup holder of every seat at Raymond James Stadium.

"Awesome," Bucs coach Jon Gruden said. "It's unbelievable. Let's hope there's no lightning."

The Bucs Battle Flag, as it is being called, will be allowed in the stadium for Sunday's game only. Tampa Sports Authority prohibits items on a stick from being brought into the stadium but will make an exception for the playoff game.

HAVE NO FEAR: The Super Bowl of Motorsports, the nation's premier monster truck competition, is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Jan. 18 at Raymond James Stadium. But if the Falcons defeat the Eagles on Saturday and the Bucs win on Sunday, Tampa Bay will host the NFC Championship Game that weekend.

No problem. TSA officials said Thursday that Jan. 18 is a tentative date with a makeup rescheduled for Feb. 22.

MARIUCCI CONTENT: Had things worked out differently in February, Jon Gruden would still be in Oakland, Rich McKay would be doing something else and Steve Mariucci would be the head coach and general manager of the Bucs.

Mariucci spent six hours in a Los Angeles hotel room with the Glazers during their frenetic coaching search, giving serious thought to leaving the 49ers and taking the dual role with the Bucs.

"We were discussing that," Mariucci said. "It didn't get to the point of, say, Coach Parcells with a contract and all that sort of thing. It was a few hours talking about that possibility, and that was it."

Thursday, amid preparations for Sunday's 49ers-Bucs playoff game, Mariucci said it worked out best -- "I really believe that" -- for all parties that he stayed.

And why didn't it work out with the Bucs?

"Without getting into details because it was a private meeting, let's just say we went our separate ways," he said.

Was it his decision then, or the Glazers'?

"It doesn't come down to one sentence like that," Mariucci said. "It's pros and cons and thinking through it short-term and long-term, and when push came to shove, when it was thought about enough and discussed enough, it was very evident that it wasn't going to be."

49ERS MISCELLANY: Cornerback Jason Webster missed practice because of an ankle injury and it's getting less likely he'll play. ... Offensive linemen Derrick Deese and Ron Stone missed practice again with ankle injuries but are expected to play. ... The 49ers will fly out after this morning's practice, arriving tonight at their St. Petersburg hotel and holding a workout Saturday at RJS. ... Terrell Owens paraded through the locker room after practice in a complete Spiderman outfit, which had something to do with a TV taping.

INJURY REPORT: The Bucs had their full squad at practice with the exception of reserve receiver Charles Lee (sprained right foot), who is listed as out.